Phottix BG-5D III Battery Grip for Canon EOS 5D Mark III Review

The Phottix BG-5DIII battery grip is a budget-friendly option for doubling the 5D Mark III's battery life and enhancing its ergonomics. The unit's reduced price tag does come with a few downgrades when compared with Canon's BG-E11 grip, but many users won't be affected by the difference. The big question is whether or not it's worth plunging an extra $140 into Canon's superior model, or going with the Phottix to free up more capital for other accessories. Let's dive in and find out.

In terms of its design and general layout, the Phottix BG-5DIII is all but identical to Canon's BG-E11. The unit delivers its power by plugging into the 5D Mark III's battery port after removing the battery door. It secures into the 5D Mark III's tripod threads by turning a large tension dial. Once ratcheted down significantly, I found that the Phottix BG-5DIII stayed glued to the bottom of my 5D Mark III all throughout my shoots, never loosening even the slightest.

The Phottix BG-5DIII comes with two battery trays. One holds two LP-E6 battery packs while the other holds 6 AA batteries.

Cosmetically, too, the Phottix BG-5DIII looks nearly identical to the Canon BG-E11, but upon further inspection, the texture of the rubberized grip is finer than the Canon-branded grip. It's barely noticeable at a casual glance, but Canon's grip is a better match for the rubber on the 5D III.

The other main difference between these grips - and a far more important one - is that the Phottix BG-5DIII is made of a polycarbonate material while the Canon BG-E11 is made with weatherized magnesium alloy, just like the 5D Mark III's body. As a result, the Phottix BG-5DIII is a bit of a gamble when the raindrops begin to fall. I shot in light rain with the Phottix during my testing and did not run into any problems, but I wouldn't feel comfortable in a heavy downpour. During my shooting for this review I did, however, inadvertently splash the grip with paint during a real-estate shoot. It continued (and still continues) to work perfectly.

The rubberized grip pattern is finer than that of the 5D Mark III's.

The main dial of the Phottix grip isn't rubberized, but everything works as it should.

The bottom of the Phottix grip has a tripod socket with metal threads and a bar for attaching an additional camera strap. The right side of the grip features a removable battery tray that pulls out by twisting a small locking knob. Two Canon LP-E6 battery packs can be loaded into the tray, thus doubling the life of the 5D Mark III. Phottix also includes a secondary tray that hosts 6 AA batteries, but I found no need for it, and regarded it as a last-minute emergency feature. The onscreen battery life indicator is fully supported and appeared just as expected.

As for controls, the back of the Phottix offers a command dial and the following buttons: AF-ON, AE Lock and AF Point Selection. The left side hosts the shutter button, Main dial and M-Fn button, as well as the Off/On switch for the grip. Most of the controls on the Phottix felt identical to those on the 5D Mark III's body. The only differences are a lack of rubberization on the BG-5DIII's main dial, and a shutter button that clicks after a half press, rather than the continuous springy motion of the shutter button on the camera itself. I actually preferred the Phottix's shutter button over Canon's, but that's just me.

Summing Up

Overall, I found the performance of the Phottix BG-5DIII to be nearly flawless. It's a battery grip, it doesn't do much but it works and feels great in the hand. Compared to Canon's pricier BG-E11, the $140 savings is not a giant leap, but could truly benefit many shooters on a tight budget. The major difference is the Phottix BG-5DIII's polycarbonate construction and lack of weatherization. For pros and advanced shooters, this could be a dealbreaker, and for hardcore all-weather photographers, I'd recommend Canon's magnesium alloy offering. But Phottix has made a very compelling, great-value alternative for the rest of us.

Mike Perlman is a freelance photographer and writer, based in Bar Harbor, Maine. After a spell reviewing camcorders at Camcorderinfo.com, Mike moved to infoSync World as the Senior Photography Editor, before taking up a role at TechnoBuffalo.com as the head of the Photography department. These days, Mike runs his own photography business and contributes to dpreview between shoots.

Comments

Nice made battery grip. Texture of the rubberized grip is finer and don't match texture of Mark III. Mine come with wrong instruction. I had for a moment problem how to remove battery tray. Polycarbonate construction doesn't bother me. I don't see a reason to pay@150.00 more for genuine Canon grip.

This grip looks fine but just out of curiosity, why would anyone pay $3000 for a 5D3 and then walk around with a camera strap that says "Canon 5D3"? Is this (a) free advertising for Canon, (b) so that other people can tell what camera you have, even in a crowd or (c) to remind you what camera is on your shoulder.

You right. Besides this strap is ugly and not convenient. Takes time to remove if you don't need it - working with tripod and than to reinstall it. Personally I use DOMKE GRIPPER strap which I love because of swivels and quick release. Nothing better.

2x battery life is good for video shooters. However, when you add the grip, you can't balance it on an HD-2000, or use it on a shoulder rig as the follow focus doesn't reach since the body is up higher. This is pointless hardware for 90% of people. Who can't reach into their pockets and get another battery after 1300 shots?!

One of the main reasons people buy a battery grip is not for the extra battery life but for the extra control you get when shooting vertical and how comfortable it makes the camera. Think before you speak.

You right if camera would have additional control in vertical position who would buy vertical grip. Heavier and doesn't quite work as it should with Stroboframe flash grip - flash little of center in vertical position of camera.

This grip looks like the two Pixel Vertax grips I have. One I purchased, the other one was a gift. The fit and finish is fine for the price, but the joystick doesn't work properly with AF sensor selection. I've had other electronic problems with my cameras when the grips are turned on.Both came from overseas via EBay and I discovered returning or exchanging them would be expensive, and probably unreliable. There is a new U.S. distributor for Pixel, Argraph Corp.,they were no help at all. Friendly, but zero customer service. Both grips sit on a shelf and are a constant reminder about my mistake of purchasing knock-off products from overseas. I suggest the only time it's worth taking a chance on these kinds of products is when you can purchase them from the U.S. and get a decent return policy. I've decided to never us the Pixel distributor in the U.S., Argraph Corp., and sugest others also avoid them because of their lack of support.

Had a Phottix grip for 60D.If you place it side by side with the Canon one - you wouldn't tell the difference.Ok, for this 5DIII one the weathersealing and durability comes into play, but anyway - quality of Phottix grips is quite fine, and the price is even better.Let's see, if they make one for 6D..

Phottix is the same as the no-brand grips that you can get for $50 on ebay. These things are essentially just battery holders. It'll work perfectly as long as you use genuine Canon batteries. Canon is gouging when it asks for $300 for the grip. Nikon happily does the same with its grips. But then, I guess Leica charges a fortune just for the brand name .....

Actually the L design is better as you don't have to remove the grip just to change one of the batteries which makes swapping them faster, and leads the less wear and tear on your tripod thread. Plus people who always use the grip can put in on the camera and never take it off, or even make it semi permanently attached by using something like blue loctite on the screw for the grip.

Umm yeah, although with my nikons I just set it to use the battery grip first- and since the full size battery lasts an age, the internal one stays as a rarely used spare. And using a 3rd party full size battery (with charge lead input) I dont even open the grip - come back from shoot, and plug in camera. Bosh.

I think the weatherproofing issue is a bit oversold as most people do treat their gear with some care.If you think about it, the most vulnerable part of you camera is the front element of the lens. If you are protecting THAT in a rain, you will also be covering the rest of the body IMO.

The weather sealing on a camera/lens is not guaranteed or warranted, in anyway. If you get you camera/lens water damaged in the rain, even if it's a 1DX and/or weather sealed L lens you are sh*t out of luck. You should treat the weather sealing on your camera/lens the same way you would body armor, it has the POTENTIAL to save you and is better than not wearing it but does not make you impervious to gunfire and is not good enough or meant to just let people shoot you for fun just because you are wearing it.

@Josh, Yes, I get it. But you are then trivializing its importance while defending its presence. If that is the case, then one should not be making such an issue of its absence.

The fact is that the issue of weatherproofing, while it has its advantages for limiting the exposure to sensor dust (most importantly), is still heavily oversold to a credulous market.

The fact is that when we look at a camera/lens combination and then think about exposing it to rain/dust/fire and brimstone, the areas that ARE "weatherproofed" are already fairly well protected by the basic construction of the camera. The lens mount is the obvious point of ingress for contaminants and that can be (and should be) the focus of weatherproofing efforts. That said, it is a simple O-ring on the lens and the job is done.

Just like body armor is effective in some situations but is not an excuse to be careless the same is true of weather sealing on a camera. Both are effective but not to a degree the means you should be relying on them so heavily that you don't take other reasonable precautions. Is having weather sealing better than not having it? Of course it is. Can it protect your camera from dust/moisture in some circumstances? It sure can. Can it save your camera if you get caught in the rain? Yep. Does that mean you should make it a practice to shoot in the rain with your expensive DSLR/lens without some kind of rain cover? NO. Even the manufactures are not confidant enough in the weather sealing to specifically say what it will protect against or cover damage cased by water/moisture/dust that got through the sealing under the warranty. So you shouldn't be so confidant in it either.

Actually I would love to see a test where a DSLR with weather sealing and one without are left out in the rain or under a sprinkler for like 30 minutes to an hour and then taken apart to see how much water actually got inside them. Unfortunately not many are willing and/or able to do such an expensive test.

The problem with that video is they never take apart the camera to see how much moister got in so you still have no idea how effective the weather sealing really was. See just because a camera works immediately after getting wet doesn't mean that in 6 month or a year it wont stop working because the moisture that got in has been slowly rusting some electronic components in side the camera. Especially if the camera gets repeatedly exposed to moisture over time like when you make it a habit to use it in the rain without a rain cover.

I don't know much about alternative grips to EOS 5D's, But i can't imagine they are worse than the originals. Canon's grips in that segment are total garbage. Bad Ergonomics and plastic gears that breaks. I long after a grip with the quality they did to EOS1 film bodies.

Phoittix are the rubbish end of the 3rd party grip market - the Meike ones are far better and don`t cost a lot more - now here`s "pixel" making grips even better than Meike and they do one for the 5D3.

Funny but I have never had a client ask me what I paid for my gear. They just want excellent results and I am saying that as a proud 20 year Leica and Canon shooter. Mentioning the Phase One is like saying my other car is a porsche. Yeah, and...

Sure if you are in the financial position to afford a PhaseOne IQ140 and accompanying lens the price difference between the Canon grip and a third party grip may seem trivial. But For most people who are not so financially blessed a few hundred dollars is a lot of money.

Get out of your ivory tower and look around once in while and you won't sound so ignorant when you speak.

To, Dixondeuxyeux. Be careful, you what they say about guys who drive Porsche? Unfortunately, ArcaSwiss somewhat correct for the wrong reason. I remember now. Even though Pixel Vertex has metal plate inside to support tripod socket and even though I bought it few months ago it still had battery problem even though they said they fixed it. It was discharging batteries 10% overnight. It was unfortunate because it is the only one that had that metal plate inside. So I had to return it.

It must be nice to not have a female dog. Though I recommend you get a parrot. Then you'll have someone to talk to on those long, lonely nights. He might even answer, and will make as much sense as you do.

Posts like this depress me. He's either a sexist, greedy, vulgar creep, or thinks it's terribly funny to pretend to be one. I don't want to know either one.

Do you any idea how immature and foolish you sound? Talking like some punk rapper wannabe does not impress anyone, nor does your unverifiable claims of wealth. All you have done is give the impression you are a spoiled, ignorant child. No one who reads these comments from you will ever take anything you say seriously again.

I love the fact that he is upsetting the new-age-politically-correct-thought-police-facists and I find it funny that, at least to me, he is clearly pulling people's legs and the people don't get it (I didn't take his first comment about the IQ140 seriously because I thought it was just a wind-up).

It is even worse if he is not serious. If that is the case he is being a disrespectful to not only the members here but women in general on purpose to provoke a reaction not just because is ignorant and immature. Which is disrespectful in itself. No one said he shouldn't be allowed to say or think what he did/does. However the way one speaks and the words one uses will determine peoples opinion of them and the response one gets from their audience. Especially in a medium like this where what is typed is the only interaction and knowledge you typically get about the person. If you are going to talk in a disrespectful, immature, ignorant manor then you are going to get called on it. That is just how it works and is not even close to censorship or being "thought police." You have freedom of speech not freedom from the negative outcomes of what you decided to say. With freedom comes the responsibility of deciding how you will use it and accepting the consequences.

The problem with what you say, and it's the issue I have with liberals, is that you seem to think anyone who doesn't express views that are music to the ears of liberals is "disrespectful, immature, ignorant". Thus the only views that are reasonable are those expressed by liberals. Well, I for one strongly disagree.

And in any event, I think the clue as to how one should have reacted was in his first remarks about the Phase IQ140, which I thought was such an obvious "red flag to a bull" that I couldn't quite understand the angry responses; the remark was so far fetched that I thought it funny.

AcraSwiss got the response he did because he insulted and disrespected everyone who was thinking about buying this grip, everyone who has little money and has to buy less expensive third party gear, women, and if it is the case he was just trolling as you say the entire DPR readership. It has nothing to do with liberals or the views they like. If you can't see how referring to women as a "bitch" and saying that the less financially well off are just "cheap asses" is ignorant, immature and disrespectful you are more ignorant than ArcaSwiss. Like I said one has the right to express whatever view they want but they dont' have the right to not be criticized for it or disagreed with. That is how freedom of speech works.

Just a side note. The idea the those with less money are just cheap asses and that it is ok to refer to women as bitches is not a view any conservative or liberal I have ever spoken to would agree with.

This review to say the least is inadequate. There are no pictures inside the chamber. Why is it so important? Good third party grips have a metal plate running all the way to support tripod socket so camera can be hanged with a strap like BR. Bad grips have small plastic strip for socket support.

As far as "Weatherization" none of them are, even OEM regardless how much they advertize it. Regardless how sealed all of the compartments are the biggest opening is the wheel. If water gets though it the whole grip will flood. And those who carry cameras upside down should be aware of it because that is the worst entry point there is.

Mike, I was wondering, inside the battery chamber, you mentioned that it does have the metal plate. I'm wondering if it also has the metal housing around the tripod thread inside the chamber like the OEM grip too? The Vertax has a round/circular shaped metal housing around the tripod socket inside the chamber and the OEM is square. The Mieke grips have the metal plate but the housing on the plate for the tripod socket is plastic! Can you tell me about that housing for the tripod socket inside the Phottix grip?

I have Phottix Odin Wireless Triggers, so I'm a Phottix fan... hoping that little housing is metal too on top of that metal plate! Is it possible you could show an image of the inside of the battery chamber??

Oh, is it wrong to use Amazon to get approximate street prices? It's what I do without dpr paying me. Yes, rarely, there is a lower price somewhere, but competition ensures someone selling through Amazon is going to be close. I'd much rather have dpr using Amazon prices than msrp, and constantly crediting the source of prices really would just look like plugging Amazon. Good call, guys.

What kind of ugly made-up word is weatherization? Whatever happened to weather-proofing? I know one of the great joys of English is its free and easy approach to adopting and adapting but this may be a step too far. It's right up there with turning burgling into burglarization. Stop it!

The term weather-proofing would give a false sense that the weather sealing in the grip is 100% effective. No camera grip is weather proof and no manufacture stands behind their weather sealing measures on their cameras/grips.

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